Terminal box for use with solar cell module

Abstract

Disclosed is a terminal box for a solar cell module, which has improved heat transfer properties. Specifically, disclosed is a terminal box for a solar cell module with a plurality of terminal boards ( 60 ), a case ( 10 ) which contains the terminal boards ( 60 ) and has an outer periphery ( 12 ) that surrounds the peripheries of the terminal boards ( 60 ); a bypass diode ( 80 ) which is connected to two corresponding terminal boards ( 60 ) and serve as a bypass for a reverse load; a radiator plate ( 60 ) which supports a rectifying device body ( 81 ) that is a heat generating portion of the bypass diode. The radiator plate ( 60 ) is being formed integrally with or separately from the terminal board ( 60 ); and a bottom ( 11 ) arranged between the radiator plate ( 60 ) and the solar cell module serves as a heat transferring part that has a higher heat resistance than the outer periphery ( 12 ).

1 . A terminal box for use with a solar cell module, which is mounted on a solar cell module, the terminal box comprising:
 a plurality of terminal boards;   a case accommodating the terminal boards and having an outer periphery surrounding the terminal boards;   bypass rectifying devices for reverse load, connected to corresponding pairs of the terminal boards;   radiator plates on which rectifying device bodies serving as heat generating portions of the rectifying devices are supported, the radiator plates being configured integrally with or independent of the respective terminal boards; and   heat transfer portion disposed between the radiator plates and the solar cell module and having a higher heat resistance than the outer periphery.   
     
     
         2 . The terminal box according to  claim 1 , wherein the case has a bottom which is located inward of the outer periphery and supports the terminal boards, and the bottom constitutes the heat transfer portion. 
     
     
         3 . The terminal box according to  claim 2 , wherein the bottom is slidingly attached along an inner edge of the outer periphery. 
     
     
         4 . The terminal box according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the terminal boards are fixed to the bottom and at least one of the terminal boards is provided with an open locking hole;   the outer periphery is provided with a deflectable locking piece; and   when the bottom is normally attached to the outer periphery, the locking piece is elastically fitted in the locking hole, whereby the terminal boards and the bottom are held on the outer periphery.   
     
     
         5 . The terminal box according to  claim 4 , wherein when the bottom is normally attached to the outer periphery, a window opening is opened between the bottom and the outer periphery, and leads corresponding to groups of solar cells of the solar cell module are drawn through the window opening into the case. 
     
     
         6 . The terminal box according to  claim 2 , wherein the bottom and the terminal boards are integrated together by insert molding. 
     
     
         7 . The terminal box according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer portion is retained in an externally non-exposed state when mounted to the solar cell module. 
     
     
         8 . The terminal box according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer portion is disposed between the rectifying device bodies and the solar cell module. 
     
     
         9 . The terminal box according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer periphery comprises one or more of PPO (polyphenylene oxide) and PPE (polyphenylene ether), and the heat transfer portion comprises one or more of PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). 
     
     
         10 . The terminal box according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the radiator plates are formed integrally with the terminal boards respectively; and   the terminal boards include a terminal on which no rectifying device body is supported, said terminal having a smallest surface area.